Maternal investment and early thermal conditions affect performance and antipredator responses

Iglesias-Carrasco, Maider1

Published Apr 19, 2024 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.vmcvdnd1c

Data files

Apr 19, 2024 version files 67.70 KB

Liz_behav_raw_data.xlsx

65.34 KB
README.md

2.36 KB

Abstract

Exposure to increased temperatures during early development can lead to phenotypic plasticity in morphology, physiology, and behaviour across a range of ectothermic animals. In addition, maternal effects are known to be important contributors to phenotypic variation in offspring. Whether the two factors interact to shape offspring morphology and behaviour has been barely explored. This is critical since climate change is expected to impact both incubation temperature and maternal resource allocation and stress levels. Using a fully factorial design, and Bayesian multivariate mixed models, we explored how the manipulation of early thermal environment and yolk-quantity in eggs affected the morphology, performance and antipredator behaviour of two sympatric Australian skink species (Lampropholis delicata and L. guichenoti). We found that juveniles from the hot treatment were larger than those on the cold treatment in L. guichenoti but not L. delicata. Using repeated behavioural measures for individual lizards, we found an interaction between incubation temperature and maternal investment in performance, with running speed being affected in a species-specific way by the treatment. We predicted that changes in performance should influence antipredator responses. In support of this prediction, we found that maternal investment impacted antipredator behaviour, with animals from the yolk-reduced and cold treatment resuming activity faster after a simulated predatory attack in L. delicata. However, the prediction was not supported in L. guichenoti. Our results highlight the importance of exploring the multifaceted role that environments play across generations to understand how different anthropogenic factors will impact wildlife in the future.

README: Maternal investment and early thermal conditions affect performance and antipredator responses

https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.vmcvdnd1c

Description of the data and file structure

The data is split into two sheets, one for morphology (one measure for each individual) and a second one for performance and antipredatory behaviour (three measures for each individual).

Data shared between both sheets:

Id: A random identity number is given to each individual.
Clutch_id: identity number provided to the clutch the animal hatched from.
Temperature: incubation temperature (cold = 23 °C and hot = 38 °C).
Maternal treatment refers to the yolk treatment (ablated = yolk reduced treatment, control = not yolk reduced).
Sp: each of the two species studied.
SVL (mm): snout-vent length of the animals the day before performing the first performance trial.
Age (days): days elapsed from the hatching day to the first performance trial.

Morphological sheet:

Weight (g) is the mass of the animal the day before the first performance test.
Tail length is the length of the tail the day before the first performance test.
Total length is the sum of the tail and SVL the day before the first performance test.

Performance/behaviour sheet:

Distance moved refers to the total distance travelled during 20 min of recording.
Time to hide is the amount of seconds needed for the animal to hide in the refuge during the simulated predatory attack.
Hiding time is the time between the moment the animal took refuge (time to hide) and the animal’s head appeared at the entrance and was visible in the videos.
Time to activity is the time elapsed since the animal took refuge (time to hide) to the moment the animal left the refuge to start their normal activity after the predatory attack.
Tail_intact: did the animal have the tail intact for the first performance test? If not those animals were not tested for performance and behaviour.
Trial refers to the trial order, first, second or third (each animal was tested 3 times).
Speed_1m is the time in seconds taken to run the whole 1m speed track; while Burst_25cm is the minimum time spent to run 25 cm in the track.